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RAILWAYBLQGK SIGNAL. No. 494,077. U Patented Mar. 21,1893.

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n .RAILWAY BLOGK SIGNAL; No. 494,077. Patented Mar. 21, 1893.

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l UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

ROBERT. D. PETERS, OF WINAMAO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES L. WAIT, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY BLOCK-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,077, dated March 21, 1893.

Application tied Juiy 11, 1892.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ROBERT D. PETERS, a

.citizen of the United States, residing at Wina` mac, in the county of Pulaski and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Block-Signals,

as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

AReferring tothe accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a view indicating a iive mile block of railway provided with my improved signaling apparatus; Fig. 2 a detail view of a portion of the track showing the contact brush located alongside thereof; Fig.l 3 a view in elevation of one of the indicatorsV or signals; Fig. 4 a sectional view looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. 5; Fig. 5 a View of the signal or indicator case,partly in edge elevation and partly in central section as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 5 5l in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 a detail sectional view showing the manner in which the indicator hand is mounted in said case, and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 views illustrating a modified arrangement. Y

In said drawings the portions marked A rep? resent the indicator cases; B contact brushes located alongside the track, and C a brush secured to a portion of the locomotive frame on its side in position to strike said contact brushes B.

The indicator cases A are preferably circular in form, the front or dial of each. being transparent having figures or indicator marks thereon to designate the position of the train in the block. The back of each is forn'ed with a series of openings around its center. Said cases are arranged in pairs withftheir backs adjacent, with a lamp A5 between them,

spaces of the block shall be.

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opposite said central openings, forilluminating the interior and rendering the characters upon the faces or dials easily discernible. The two cases of each pair are secured together by connecting clips or braces a a suitable distance apart, and are formed with an opening upon one side around which is formed a flange by which saidpair of cases is secured by means of screws o11- bolts to a corresponding iiange a on the end of the curved topl of the support-ing post A. Said post A is preferably a hollow metal `post the lower end of which communicates with a c011- duit A2 through which and said hollow post wires are laid from the contact brushes B to magnets a2 in said indicator cases. Said magnets a2 are secured to the back side of each indicator case, one magnet behind each figure or indicator mark upon the dia-l. A ground wire A4 is connected to one pole of each of said magnets, and runs down through the hollow post to the ground to complete the electric circuit through said magnets, and energize them, whereby theindicator hand is drawn to the proper magnet and indicator mark, as will be hereinafter more fully described. An indicator hand A3 is mounted within each case upon a central pinion a3. A spring a4 is interposed between the back of said case and each indicator hand, the tension of which may be varied by adjusting the hand on its pinion by means of a set screw a5. By this means said hand is held against its own gravity in whatever position it may be drawn or left.

The contact brushes B consist of metal plates having a number of upwardly extending springs or points,being secured alongside the track in position to be hit by the brush C upon the locomotive. Said brushes are located a mile distant one from the other, or that distance apart which it is desired the In Fig.`1`a five mile block is indicated, each mile being marked by one of said contact brushes. A side-track is also indicated, which is also provided with one of4 said contact brushes. The dial is divided into seven spaces marked with the numerals and characters 0 l7 2. 3 4 5 and S One of the magnets a2 is ,arranged directly behind each, and

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the indicator hand is that distance from the back of the case which will enable it to pass the points of said magnets. The indicators are located on each side of the track, those upon one side being used to indicate trains going in one direction, and those on the other side to indicate trains going in the opposite direction. A wire is run from the Contact brush B at the entrance to the block to the magnetbehind the l on the dial facing the direction from which the train enters of that indicator' caseAwhich will be behind the moving train after the entrance to said block; and another wire is run from the same contact brush to the magnet behind the l on the dial of the oppositely disposed indicator case at the other end ot' the block. At the end of the first mile of the block is arranged another contact brush from which a wire is run to the magnet behind the 2 on said dials. At the end of the second mile another brush is located from which a wire is run to the magnetbehind the 3 on said dials. At the end of the third mile a Wire is run from the brush to the magnet behind the Li on said dials. At the end of the fourth mile a wire is run from the brush to the magnet behind the figure 5 on said dials. As the train passes out of the block the brush C strikes a brush B located at the exit from which a wire is run to the magnet behind the O on said dials; and from the contact brush of the siding a wire is run to the S7 on said dials. Said wires are run from the track to the conduit A2 through pipes, as indicated, and are run through said conduit into the indicator cases through the hollow posts A, each wire being connected to its proper magnet at the end opposite that to which the ground )wire A4 is connected. In going in one direction the indicators on one side of the track are operated, and in going the other way those on the other side are used. In the case of railways having a multiplicity of tracks with trains running only one way on each track, only one case Awill be needed on each post, as no signal in front of the train will be needed.

The contact brush C is or may be secured upon the locomotive or any other portion of the moving train in any desired manner in position to brush against the brushes B as the train passes over them. Itis charged with an electric current from a battery or dynamo C located in any convenient position on the locomotive or train, through a wire c.

The operation of my said invention is as follows: As the locomotive enters the block as shown in Fig. 1, the contact brush C Will strike the contact brush B at the entrance to said block, and, through the wires connecting said brush with them, energizes the magnet behind the l of the rear dial on the post the train is passing and that behind the l on the front dial of the indicator on the post at the other end ofthe block, which draws the indicator hands to said magnets, completing the circuit through the pinion and ground wire A4 to the ground. The hands then indicate to an engineer at each end of the block that a train has entered said block, and is on the first mile thereof. As the locomotive passes into the second mile over the next indicator brush B, a current is sent into the magnets behind 2 on said dials, energizing said magnets and drawing -the indicator hands thereto, which completes the electric circuit through said hands and their pinions and the ground Wires A4. As soon as the brush C passes, the current is, of course, broken, but the hand is held in this position by the friction caused by the tension of the spring a4 until the next magnet is energized by the contact of the brush C and the brush B at the end of the next mile, when said indicator hand (in each case before specified) is drawn by the mechanism to the next magnet, and so on. As the train runs over the brush B at the exit to the block, the magnets behind the Os on said dials are energized and the indicator hands drawn to said characters, which then indicate to an engineer or others, at each end, that the block is clear. The train running onto the siding energizes the magnets behind the S, which draws the hands to said indicator marks, and indicates to the engineers that a train is upon the side-track. As trains going in opposite directions will use indicators on opposite sides of the track, not only is the position of a train Within the block indicated, but also the direction in which it is going. An engineer approaching said block,

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and observing that a train is in said block going in the same direction with himself and a safe distance ahead of him may proceed cautiously without waiting for the forward train to pass out of the block; while if a train is coming toward him within said block he will know within a mile of how far the approaching train is from him, and take proper precautions to get out of the way, and avoid accidents. Thus an indicator is provided which gives information certainly and of such a character that much time may be saved and perfect safety yet be insured. As will be readily understood, the indicators may be located as preferred, and provided in the offices of the train dispatchers if desired, whichA enables said officers to watch the progress of their trains without trouble.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 I have shown a modified arrangement, whereby, in lieu of a battery upon the locomotive or train, the electric current is supplied by a wire strung alongside of the track, from a dynamo or battery suitably located along the line. In such an arrangement a wire is run to a rock-shaft B mounted on top of one of the ties or other suitable support provided for the purpose having an upwardly extending trip-arm b in position to be struck and operated by a downwardly extending arm C2 on the side of the locomotive. On the outer end of said rock-shaft two diverging weighted fingers b2 are provided, and is IIS secured in suitable position and connected by Wires to the proper magnets in the indicator cases as in the other arrangements. Spring contact points b3 are secured to said plate on each side of said fingers b2, with one of which one of said fingers b2 contacts when the triparm b is hit by the arm Ozon the engine. Said fingers b2 being weighted normally maintain the shaft in proper position to present the trip-arm b to said arm C2, and they are insulated from the plate proper by covering the adjacent face of said plate with insulating material, as indicated in Fig. 9. As will be readily understood, the operation in so far as the signals are concerned is the same as that before described; the only difference consisting in the diiferent manner of establishing a circuit for the electric current. Instead of the weighted ngers, springs may be used to hold the rock-shaft in proper position, as will be readily understood.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A signaling device for a railway block signal system consisting of indicator cases mounted upon supports set at desired intervals alongside the track, each case having a dial provided with suitable indicator marks thereon, and an indicator hand mounted therein, a magnet arranged behind each of said indicator marks, a wire running from each magnet to the proper point alongside the track and connected with a suitable contact device, and a suitable device located on the locomotive or train for throwing said contact device into an electric circuit, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway block signal system the combination of the indicator consisting of suitable casings arranged in pairs supported on suitable posts at the ends of each block the cases of each pair being arranged with their casing having faces with suitable indicator I 4. In a railway block signal system the combination of the indicator consisting of the casing having a transparent face or dial, indicator marks thereon, an indicator hand in said casing mounted upon a suitable pinion,

'a tension spring or device on said pinion, a

magnet mounted behind each indicator mark, a lamp mounted behind the central opening in the back side of said casing, contact brushes located at the desired intervals throughout the block alongside the track, Wires running from said magnets to said contact brushes, a battery on the locomotive or train, a contact brush also on said locomotive or train in position to strike the contact brushes alongside the track, and a wire connecting said brush with said battery, all substantially as set forth.

5. In a railway block signal system, the combination of indicator cases located at suitable or desired intervals alongside the road and on opposite sides thereof, an indicator hand in cach case, a magnet arranged behind each indicator mark on the dial to draw said indicator hand to its mark on the dial of said case.

when thrown into an electric circuit, and a suitable device located on the train for closing said circuit, trains going in opposite directions being equipped to operate the indicators on opposite sides of the roads, substantially as set forth.

6. An indicator for indicating the position of a train on a railway system consisting of a casing, indicator marks, an indicator hand therein, a magnet at each indicator mark, each magnet being electrically connected to a device alongside the track which a passing train will operate to throw said magnet into an electrical circuit, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this lst day of July, A. D. 1892.

ROBERT D. PETERS. [1... s]

Witnesses:

E. W. BRADFORD, J. A.' WALsH.

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